


Hard choices

by Happykiss



Category: High Tide (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-01
Updated: 2016-01-01
Packaged: 2018-05-10 22:58:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5604109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Happykiss/pseuds/Happykiss
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He didn't talk to anyone, nor did he even lift his gaze, the boy was just staring at the fresh grave that now belonged to their parents. A simple grey headstone engraved with two names.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hard choices

The funeral was a quiet and solemn occurrence. There weren't that many people that attended only the closest of their parents friends but that served the brothers just fine. 

Joey stood sullen and quiet all by himself, his hands balled into fists by his sides and a wave of anger seemed to be radiating of his body. His eyes were dry, he hadn't cried again since the day their mom and dad had died.

He didn't talk to anyone, nor did he even lift his gaze, the boy was just staring at the fresh grave that now belonged to their parents. A simple grey headstone engraved with two names. And of course the many flowers the guests had laid down on the dark earth.

Now it fell to Mick to shake all the hands and listen to the condolences that everyone wanted to give out. There were some of the waiters and chefs from the restaurant and of course a couple of the neighbours from home. Mick and Joey still had a paternal uncle somewhere but the contact between their father and his brother had been lost years ago. Apart from him, there was nobody. No grandparents or cousins. Just the kid and him. 

A gentle hand fell on his shoulder and pulled Mick back into the here and now. He looked into the light blue eyes of his partner Jeff, who gave him a small encouraging smile. "You alright, man? I mean, as much as possible under these circumstances," the blond man asked. 

Mick huffed out a little laugh in return. At least he could be sure for his partner to have his back. They had been joined right after Mick had graduated and taken the job at the precinct, Jeff only a couple of years his senior had been happy to train the rookie as his partner. They had been friends ever since.

"What's with the kid? He looks ready to start a fight right here?! I get that he's angry but shouldn't that stage come later, after the grieving?" Jeff asked carefully. Of course as a cop he had been schooled in terms of basic psychology but he wasn't so sure when it came to children. Small people made him rather uncomfortable. 

Mick shook his head and glanced over at his sulking brother. "He's angry alright. I told him that we had to sell the restaurant and the house as well. I just can't afford to keep either one with my salary," the brunet sighed and shoved his hands deep into his pockets. 

He was hot, sweaty and the tie was seriously trying to kill him. Mick just wanted to go home, he had enough of the sad looks and well meaning words.

Also, he was fed up of being the peacemaker between himself and Joey. It wasn't Micks fault that their parents hadn't managed to keep any savings for the mortgage on the house or that selling the restaurant would have to pay for the funeral. He was only twenty years old himself and not ready for that kind of responsibility. Mick had tried to explain these things to his brother but the boy wasn't ready to listen.

"You can't mean that Mick. Mom and dad worked their asses off for the restaurant. You can't sell it," Joeys' words were hard and the boy looked ready to explode but his eyes displayed the shock and sadness that came from his brothers revelation.

"You think that's what I want? Of course I know how important it was to them but I checked the books and it just won't work. Business was poorly the last couple of years, the dept has gotten too high," Mick had raised his voice as well. Why couldn't Joey understand that he didn't have a choice.

But the kid hadn't been ready to let it go.  
"It's doing really well right now! Dad said so himself," the boy shouted out. If course he knew about the struggle of keeping the place running, he wasn't an idiot after all. He wasn't deaf either and sometimes he had listened to bits of conversations when his parents were arguing if they could continue with the way things were. 

But they had come out on top after all, hadn't they?

After that argument had already gone down the drain, Mick hat revealed that they couldn't keep their parents house either. 

Since then, Joey hadn't said two words to his brother.

But Mick took it onto himself with quiet determination and really, there wasn't anyone to complain to, so he would have be the bad guy in this scenario.

The other attendees were gone now, the brothers and Jeff the only ones left while the cemetery looked sad and even a little peaceful. 

Mick walked over to his brother and put a hand on his back to get his attention but Joey sidestepped him and kept staring at the ground without really seeing anything. 

"Come on buddy, it's time to go home," the older Barrett said softly. Joeys' eyebrows drew together in a stormy frown.

"Right, only it won't be our home any longer," the boy snapped. 

Mick sighed. "I already told you why. There is just no other way. Now come on, or do I have to drag you to the car kicking and screaming?" What was meant as a joke somehow came out awkward and sounding more like a threat. 

The dark haired kid glowered at his brother but stormed off towards the parking grounds.

Jeff came over to him after giving the brothers some space for their talk. "Whew, that is one pissed-off little boy. Can you imagine what he'll be like once he actually hits puberty," the blond grinned and shoved his partners shoulder playfully. 

Mick just groaned. "Don't say that. Please, don't even joke about something like that," the young cop pleaded while both men continued to go after the kid. 

Before they reached their cars, Jeff thought of another question. "Do you need any help packing up at the house?" 

His partner shook his head in return. "No we're nearly done. I managed to pack during the last week. Most of the stuff is going to charity, because I don't have enough space at my apartment. At least all of those organisations come and collect the things, so I don't have to that myself," Mick told him tiredly. 

"Joey still hasn't boxed up anything at all though. It's like he thinks as long as he hasn't finished, that he won't have to leave." 

Jeff scratched his chin in thought. "Well, I guess you gotta do that tonight then. We only have tomorrow left to get on with the move. The captain is expecting you back at work on Tuesday," the man offered and after giving his partner a last encouraging smile, he headed off to his own car.

Mick only nodded his head and gave a small wave as goodbye. Their captain had given him 3 weeks off to take care of the funeral, his brother and all the official business that came with it.

After graduating from the academy, Mick had found himself a new little apartment that had affordable rent and wasn't too far away from the beach. It was a two bedroom place with a small kitchen where he even had some space to store his board.

His brother had been inconsolable at the time when Mick left their family home and entered into the police service. Entered a life away from him. But Joey had been even younger then and it was easy to make things right with him. Some treats here and there, a new surfboard for his birthday and of course the promise to still spend time together had worked like a charm.

No such luck now. 

They drove home in heavy silence. 

Just before they arrived at the house, Mick had to try again. "Kiddo, you will have to pack up your stuff tonight or you gotta have to live with whatever I'll grab in the morning. And I have a feeling you won't be too pleased with my choices," the man tried to light the mood and make it sound like a joke again, rather than a command. 

But Joey just gave an unhappy snort through his nose while leaving his mouth firmly pressed shut. It was like he was holding back whatever seemed to be burning on his tongue. Mick wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.

They arrived and as soon as the older Barrett had turned the engine off, the kid jumped out of the car and fled towards his room. Mick sighed again. 

It wasn't a secret that his little brother was a headstrong little shit, he was after all the baby and darling of the family, being a whole of 10 years younger than his older sibling. He had been spoiled and showered with love every day of his live.

But their mother had always been the firm presence to reign Joey in and keep his feet on the ground whenever his dad and older brother had been ready to give into his every whim. She too loved her children fiercely with every fiber of her body but she didn't take crap from anyone. Especially her little baby-boy. 

That baby boy was currently blasting his stereo on an ear-shattering volume while stomping around in his room.

Mick just hoped he was listening to him for once and actually doing the work he was supposed to.

"I'm going to make some food, you want anything?" The man yelled towards his brothers room but of course there was no answer. 

"I should just serve you some broccoli, you little brat," Mick mumbled but knew he'd never have it in him to be that mean to Joey. The kid would rather starve than eat the hated vegetable. So, spaghetti it was, he decided.

By the time he had finished cooking dinner, it was already getting dark outside. Summertime was nearly over and the sun started to set earlier in the autumn.

The music was still blearing but Mick hadn't heard any his brothers movements for a while now. Maybe he was getting tired of being angry, Mick for one was rather fed up with the attitude by now. 

The man knocked loudly but there was no answer and he entered the room anyways. It looked like a bomb had gone off in here, there were half filled boxes stuffed with clothes and things that looked like junk and probably didn't have any value for anybody but Joey. 

But apart from that, the room was empty.

"Shit," Mick let out a frustrated scream. Where was Joey? 

Think, Mick ordered himself. It you were an angry ten-year old, where would he go? 

Friends? There wasn't anyone in particular that came to mind. 

A girl? Not yet, he hoped. 

Where the hell would he go? On foot and at this hour? 

Suddenly Mick had a terrible thought and dashed off to their dad's shed. He ripped open the door and stared at the one thing that wasn't there. Joeys' surfboard. 

"Oh you little idiot," the young man hissed while already running towards the beach. 

Their parents had loved the ocean, and the house was in walking distance of the sea so their dad could head out to surf and swim whenever he wanted. This love for the waves had been passed down to both sons equally and now it seemed one of them was going to pay for it. 

And just as he had feared, as soon at his feed hit the sand, Mick saw the lone figure out at the sea. The ocean was dark but the moon shone softly through the clouds, revealing a small figure paddling out on a board. 

"Joey," Mick screamed but the wind stole his voice away. If his brother fell or hit the rocks that weren't visible in the dark, there would be no way to find him in the water. 

"JOEY," He tried again, louder but just as useless.

Right at that moment, a big wave rolled in and he saw his brother pulling himself upright. What a sight he was, both feet planted firmly on the board, his body seeming to melt together with it. 

That punk, his stupid, brave kid brother rode that wave like he was born to do just that. Smooth and even, steady and calm. 

He had nearly made it to the beach when out of nowhere a bigger wave tumbled him over from behind and spilled Joey off his board into the black sea. 

"No," Mick yelled and ran into the cold water, diving low to get to the spot where Joey had been just seconds ago. 

There, that was his board. The experienced surfer felt along the end to get to the cord that connected the rider with the board. There it was, and there was Joeys' foot. 

He snatched at his little brother and together they broke through the water's surface. Instantly, Mick could hear his brother coughing for air and struggling in an attempt to free himself. 

"Stop it, I have you," the older sibling snapped and felt Joey calm down. Together they gripped the board and started swimming towards the shore.

They arrived at the beach in under a minute and Mick dragged his brother onto the soft sand. 

"Are you hurt?" The young cop asked with heavy concern in his voice.

Joey pushed his brother's probing fingers away from his chest and struggled onto his feet. "What is wrong with you? I had this wave, I was killing it! Why did you have to come and ruin it, I hate you," the boy screamed and his young voice seemed to double over itself. He was about to wade back into the water when Mick spun him around and then something hot stung his cheek. 

The boy gasped in shock, rather than pain but was pulled into a tight embrace before his brain could register anything else. 

"You little idiot! The only thing getting killed here, will be you. How can you be so fucking selfish? You are all I got left. I can't loose my little brother as well," Mick sobbed into the kids wet hair.

Joey stood stiff for a moment but then Mick felt him go limp, crying out for their mom and dad while clutching himself to his brother. Mick let them both slide to the ground, taking his little brother into his lap as the boy cried and wailed and didn't seem to be able to stop. 

"Shush now. I got you, baby-boy," Mick whispered soothingly but he himself was still crying just as freely. So they sat on the sand, both wet and shivering and sharing their sorrows. Like a family would. 

"I don't want anything to change," Joey whimpered. "If we leave here, we won't have anything to remember them by," the boy hiccupped unhappily. 

Mick took his brother's chin and carefully tilted his head, so they looked at each other. He winced a bit when he saw the five finger print still glowing faintly on Joeys' cheek but that wasn't the most important thing right now. 

"Don't you know that you have so much of them in yourself? You got mom's easy smile and her carefree laugh. Dad's eyebrows," the older man gave a shaky laugh at his brother's annoyed look. 

"You got those too, just so you know," the kid pouted and Mick was glad for this bit of banter. It felt more normal than they had been in weeks. 

"Yes, I do know that. All Barrett-men have rather strong eyebrows," Mick laughed and Joey smiled back at him. There was his wonderful little brother again, who could melt hearts if he only smiled at them. 

"So, I can see mom and dad whenever I look at you. And you will see them in me. That's all we need, as long as we're together we won't ever forget," the man promised and the boy's eyes spilled out more tears but he nodded earnestly. He understood that now.

"Let's go home, grab a shower and then we got some more packing to finish," Mick announced and pulled his brother to his feet. 

"Ok. But Mick-" the boy paused a moment, embarrassed to finish his question.

"You want me to help you," the older sibling asked carefully. Lately, his offers to help had been blown off rather harshly by the boy.

The kid nodded shyly and Mick suddenly remembered the tiny baby in their mother's arms when he himself had been just Joeys' age. It was a long time ago but maybe it wouldn't hurt to remember how helpless a child could feel even if that kid was his cocky, wisecracking brother.

"Sure, we'll take care of it together," Mick promised while slinging one arm around the boys neck and lifting the board under his other. 

Joey in turn, hefted his arm around his brothers waist and smiled. "Together!"


End file.
